Breaking Bad Interview

The cast and crew of Breaking Bad had some really exciting things to say about Season 5, which premieres tomorrow night and will consist of eight episodes. Actor Dean Norris, who plays Hank, said he was thrilled to be out of bed for so long in Season 4. He said playing bedridden for so long actually affected him personally- got his spirits down. And now, in Season 5, he's busted the cartel and feels vindicated. And it's time to really settle things between him and Walt. With regards to their storyline, Hank said that "Vince is not going to shy away from that. It will be the last big arc to be dealt with. The final confrontation." Dean commented that the reason Hank hasn't caught Walt yet is because he's so close to him and can't fathom that it would ever be Walt. "So when he does find out that it's him, it's going to be quite the surprise." We can also expect Marie to do some breaking bad of her own next season, but "in her own, less toxic way."

Actor Aaron Paul, who plays Jesse, talked a bit about the motivation of his character to rejoin Walt as a 50/50 partner towards the end of season 4. "Jesse's real motivation is friendship. Partnership. A connection. He doesn't really have anybody...he's alone and needs a father figure. Someone to talk care of him. That's Walt." The season 5 teaser trailer shows Walt and Jessie working with Mike, and some people are surprised that Mike is still around as a character and hasn't been killed off yet. But not Jonathan Banks, the actor who portrays him. "Mike never gives up...and he's always ready. He expects things to go wrong."

By the sounds of it, things are definitely going to continue to go wrong in Season 5. "The whole thing was supposed to be very simple," said Bob Odenkirk, who plays the morally challenged lawyer Saul Goodman. "We were supposed to make a lot of money, easy, color within the lines. But the best laid plans go awry..." But, as Bryan Cranston reminds us, Walt is coming off a major victory in Season 4. "He has taken out Gus Fring. Now, he has a choice. Instead of opting out, he opts in. He goes all in. No shrinking violets. It's let's play...I'm the man."

This transition in his character from "Mr. Chips to Scarface" is what will propel Season 5. Walt's now wearing the crown. Put another way by creator and showrunner Vince Gilligan, "He's the King now. So what happens next? Once he assumes the throne, how does he keep it? These are the questions we'll be dealing with in the next two seasons." Vince responded to rumors about there possibly being a Saul spin-off show. He said that he loves the idea of a criminal lawyer who will do anything to stay out of the courtroom. Will settle any case on the steps of the courthouse just to avoid a trial. But he doesn't know the fate of Saul's character yet and he's getting calls from a lot of people about a lot of opportunities so he just doesn't know what will be next for him after Breaking Bad. At the moment his focus is on finishing the best show possible, then maybe he'll have time to break bad....